Getting around in Oslo… cheaper…

As some of us travel a lot to Oslo for seminars – I’ve compiled a few tips to find your way, as well as on how to get there in the cheapest way (when you can’t use the feet):

From the airport to the city Centre

From domestic arrival: get your luggage and its 30 meters to the train station.

International arrival: once you get out of customs, take a right and go to the end of the corridor – where you will find the train station. There are many options enumerated on this official site with timetables and links. In short:

Red NSB train with the red ticket booths to the left (cost NOK 101,-)

Orange “flytoget = express train” to the right, goes every 10 mn but is twice as expensive (ca NOK 190,-), and takes only 2-5 mn less. But if you’re in a hurry and don’t want to wait for the NSB departure, you might want to consider that option. If you do, just chose arrival station and swipe your credit card).

There are also busses (flybussen, flybussekspressen, OSL-ekspressen) which may bring you closer to your destination, but take about one hour and are rather expensive.

So cheapest: take the NSB train (red ticket booths) from the airport, from track 4 –

Even cheaper: download the “RuterBillett” app (see app section** with further explanations below)

Directions to Oslo Aikidoklubb

Take the pink Metro Line 5 eastbound (towards Vestli), get off at Hasle station. (See metro map here). Walk along the tracks (between the school and the tracks, past the Tennishall, follow the road under the bridge and around the bend, it’s about 7-8 mn walk, the dojo is in the building behind Bakerhuset.

** Useful apps: download them at home before you leave – AND – register – AND – enter your payment info before you leave home. Visa and mastercard from most European countries should work, Greece also.

RuterReise (black pound sign): to check how to get somewhere by public transport (train/metro/tram and even boat-ferry).Note: it’s possible to un-check the expensive express train as search option. This app doesn’t give you tickets, though.

RuterBillett (red pound sign): To buy tickets. Once downloaded, do register in the app (with password, choose English as language) and enter your payment info ahead of time!!! Conductors are not very understanding if you’re trying to download anything once on board… you will be checked on the train!NB: your phone must be online to purchase and activate the ticket. Once the ticket is downloaded and activated, you can turn off the 3G.

NB: not all stations have ticket booths, and you cannot pay onboard on trams/metro. The RuterBillett app is the easiest option.

3. Maps.me – this is a free offline map, It works very well as a GPS too. Download the app while on wifi, register, and once inside, upload the Oslo map (or anywhere in the world) and it does not use up your 3G! You can erase the map once you leave as to save space.

Names of stations (tip: mark them as favourites) for the RuterReise app (note: to buy tickets on the RuterBillett app you only need to indicate zone to zone)

-Oslo Lufthavn (=airport)

-Oslo Sentralstasjon (= Oslo Central Station)

-Jernbanetorget (=metro/tramways/bus outside Oslo Central Station)

-Tøyen (=metro station closest to Sentrum Aikido)

-Hasle (=metro station closest to Oslo Aikidoklubb)

Tips to save most money on local transportation (when going to/fro airport – especially if you stay at the dojo or need to take the metro to/from the training hall – or if you are going to sight see all of friday):

1. when you arrive at the airport, buy a 24-hour ticket for Zone 1 (it’s for oslo centre, costs 105 kr) on the “period ticket” option, this will be valid for train (the red option going from track 4), metro, tram and boat ferry. You can buy tickets for several people at once (but then you have to travel together).

2. Once you have the ticket, go in again and buy “extra zones” from “zone 4N” to “Zone 1”. Indicate for which zone you have an active ticket (Zone 1), then you will be charged ca 60 kr for the extention ticket. You can buy one extension pr active ticket.

This way you can travel illimited the whole next day when you sight-see, and you get from the airport to the city for 60 kr.

Comparatively: a one way ticket across 4 zones (as in airport-city) costs 101,- then add 35,- pr one-way ticket (60 mn) for every trip you take.

3. If you leave Sunday, you do the reverse:

on Saturday buy a 24-hour ticket (timed to get you to the airport in time, of course!) for Zone 1. Then on Sunday, only buy an extension (extra zones) to the airport when you leave the city for the airport.

***Travel card, this is a plastic card that you can top-up. It costs 50 kr to buy the card, then you can top it up at will. Available at most Narvesen or 7-Eleven Kiosks downtown. You beep it when you board (bus/tram) and before you board (metro), and it will automatically reduced the amount in the card by kr 35.

* * * Archived: other destination * * *

Directions to Sentrum Aikido dojo

Take any Metro Eastbound to Tøyen station. 10 mn walk, see google map from Tøyen station to Oslo Karateklubb/Sentrum Aikido, you’ll find it in between the appartment buildings, under the Prix convenience shop.

You can also take bus 60, get off at “Brinken”, and walk down the stairs behind the Extra convenience shop.

from Oslo Central Station (aka Jernbanetorget)Change to Westbound T-bane (=metro) line 2 or 3 to Borgen* (4 stations).

Sometimes the train from the airport continues to the NATIONAL THEATER.It is easier change to the metro there. Go to Westbound T-bane (=metro) line 2 or 3 to Borgen* (2 stations).

You may find the train even continues to Skøyen station – but from there you’d have to walk 20 mn to the apartment/hall. On the other hand, this station is the closest for those staying at Scandic Sjølyst Hotel.

*From Borgen metro station to Skøyenhallen:

Look for the sign to Vigelandsparken. Go south/downhill 200 m along the graveyard, take a left on Monolitveien still along the graveyard. When the residential area stops and you see a huge park (and the Monolith statue further down), take a right past the “Monoliten barnehage (kindergarden)”, and Skøyen Hallen is behind Skøyen Skole. 10-15 mn walk.